Disclaimer Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

'Are you sure about this?' Jolinar asked her host as they stood awkwardly down the hall from the general's office.

'We have to. We have no choice,' Sam said resignedly.

'You wanted to wait, be certain before we said anything,' Jolinar reminded.

'Remember what happened? How close we came to dying? We can't take that risk. Someone else needs to know.'

'We're taking a risk by saying anything. There is still a spy in the SGC,' the symbiote reminded.

'Maybe,' Sam said. 'Maybe not. We can't know for sure.'

'You're risking his life,' Jolinar insisted, her dislike of Sam's decision plain. They'd been arguing about it for a week, ever since the picnic when they'd heard Hrabe speak, recognizing goa'uld words in his childish gibberish.

'If I don't say something, if WE don't say something, we're risking the planet. And I will not do that,' Sam said, firming her resolve. Jolinar knew the only way she'd stop her host would be to wrest control form her and openly prevent her from speaking. And that was a step she couldn't take, especially knowing that her host was right. If Hrabe was what they thought he was, Earth was in danger. And Jolinar had witnessed too many massacres to be the cause of one.

<><><><><>

"You really expect me to believe that?" Jack demanded, shooting to his feet. He ignored the grimaces of the other people in the room, pacing in lieu of shouting.

"Colonel," Hammond said tiredly.

"Colonel, Teal'c can back me up on this," Sam said, tamping down on her ire. "So can Jolinar for that matter."

"Oh, yeah, right. Let's take the snake's word for it," Jack said, too angry to acknowledge the looks on his co-workers' faces.

'He just might like me, once he gets to know me,' Jolinar said, Sam's like of her CO tempering the symbiote's hurt feelings.

"Colonel O'Neill," Hammond barked, jumping to Sam's defense.

Sam's eyes flared dramatically as she jumped to her feet. "I have not lied to you," Jolinar said, resonating Sam's voice.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked. "I seem to remember a little disappearing act a few weeks ago."

"I have never lied to you," she insisted slowly, accentuating the word.

"Ok," he said. "How long have you known," he demanded, asking the question everyone wanted to know the answer to.

'He's not going to like this,' Sam said to Jolinar as she studied the people in the room. General Hammond was seated at his normal place at the head of the table. Teal'c and Janet on the other side of the table and Jack had been sitting beside her, but was now pacing in front of the windows, staring broodingly down at the gate.

'We knew that. But they have to know,' the symbiote said.

'I know.' She took a deep breath, taking control back. "Jolinar has suspected since she heard of the circumstances of Hrabe's conception." She spoke fast, eager to tell her side of the story before he erupted again. "The idea of a Harcesis is legendary even among the Tok'ra. It's…it's like proving the existence of Noah's Ark. We didn't know for sure if the legend was real."

"This is why you did not share this information prior to this," Teal'c said.

Sam nodded. "We didn't want to draw attention to Robbie if there was no reason for it. Chances are, he'd be a normal little boy."

"Something happened to change your mind," Hammond said.

"Yes, sir. At the picnic last week, when Robbie was playing with Teal'c, he said something."

Janet shook her head. "He's barely talking. It's more gibberish than words."

"He called me sholva," Teal'c said quietly, causing the others to look at him.

Sam nodded somberly. "Yeah."

"He's nine months old," Jack said, walking back to the table. "For crying out loud, Charlie said his first curse word at nine months. Kids mimic," he insisted.

"Children mimic what they hear," Janet said. "Do you really think Sholva has been a part of Shau'ri and Daniel's vocabulary?"

"It's a stretch, I know," Sam admitted. "There is also the fact that Hrabe is nine months old and is talking and walking."

"He's a smart kid."

"Do you think he got those smarts from his mother, or Apophis," Sam said coldly. "Or more accurately the 3,000 host Apophis was in. He's the biological father of the boy."

"Captain," Hammond said warningly.

"Sir," Sam said. "I admit the evidence is purely circumstantial, but it's not something we can ignore. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. And neither does Jolinar. If Robbie is a Harcesis, he possesses the knowledge of every host that Apophis has been in. And the knowledge of every goa'uld in his bloodline, Amaunet's bloodline and any other goa'uld they've bred with. That child has thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of years of cumulative knowledge in his brain. He also has the goa'uld desire for power and more than likely the nasty little cruel streak they have too."

"Sounds like this child could be an incredible resource," Hammond said.

"This child is a great danger," Teal'c said.

"Danger?" Jack said. "He's not even out of diapers yet."

"Colonel, imagine Hitler with present day or better yet, goa'uld technical knowledge. Hrabe sees humans as a resource. And he wants nothing more than to rise to power and rule the puny humans of this planet. He's a time bomb in our midst," she said. She reached out and took Jack's arm, making him turn to face her. "Colonel, you've been angry at me for keeping secrets. We could have kept this secret. We could have stood back and watched and waited and taken action twenty years down the line. But we didn't. We chose to speak up now, before it's too late. Maybe something can be done. The point is, sir. If we know the danger's among us, then it won't surprise us," she said sincerely.

Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "That's why you didn't want Daniel here."

She nodded. "Amaunet may have known about Hrabe. And she may have left that knowledge in Shau'ri's mind. If Daniel knows, he'll have to lie to her." She turned to the general. "Sir, I'd like Janet to run some tests on Hrabe."

"What kind of tests?"

"It's possible that being a Harcesis has a biological basis. If we can find a cause, maybe we can find a cure."

Hammond looked to Janet. "Doctor?"

Janet shrugged. "I can check on him. I have no idea what I'm looking for." She looked to Sam.

"I don't either. In truth, the existence of a Harcesis has never been proven. But isn't it worth a shot?"

Hammond nodded. "Very well. Doctor, proceed. And although I'm not comfortable with it, I agree with Captain Carter's assessment. Let's see how far we can proceed without informing Doctor Jackson or his wife of the possibility of the Harcesis." He got to his feet. "Dismissed."

<><><><><>

"I do not understand, Danyel," Shau'ri said, sitting on the bed, her son in her lap. "He is healthy."

"Well, we don't always wait for someone to be unhealthy before we see the doctor," Daniel replied, frowning at Janet's nervous smile. The summons to bring Hrabe in for a check up had been surprising, to say the least. His son didn't have a civilian physician, but General Hammond had arranged for one of the doctors at the Academy Hospital to be the child's pediatrician in deference to Shau'ri's status and the unique circumstances surrounding his birth.

"Daniel's right, Shau'ri. We just want to make sure this little fellow's ok," Janet said, reaching for her syringe. "We're almost done. I just want to take a quick blood sample."

"Blood?" Shau'ri asked, alarmed. She wrapped her arms more tightly around her son. The child picked up on the increase in tension, starting to fuss.

"It's ok," Daniel soothed. "I've had it done dozens of times. It won't hurt him."

She frowned skeptically, but nodded her head, giving her assent for the test. Daniel stepped closer, knowing that the worst was yet to come when Robbie started to cry. Janet leaned over Robbie, gently taking his chubby leg and expertly finding a vein.

Surprisingly, Robbie didn't cry, he merely frowned, staring intently as the red fluid filled the syringe. Daniel met Janet's shocked gaze as the doctor quickly gathered her samples. "All done," she said, holding a cotton ball over the small wound, quickly securing it with a Band-Aid.

"Told you it'd be ok," Daniel said to his wife.

"We can go now?" she asked.

"Yes," Janet said. "I'll let you know if I find anything, but I'm not worried." She leaned in, tickling Hrabe under the chin. "You're a very healthy boy."

"He's a very ornery boy," Daniel said, holding him so Shau'ri could get off the bed. She stood up, straightening her long skirt then held out her arms for Hrabe. "You should see him chasing Sparky around the house," Daniel said, referring to the Labrador puppy they'd bought to keep Hrabe and Shau'ri company while he was at work.

"Just wait," Janet said. "They call them the Terrible Two's for a reason."

He set Hrabe down and the boy toddled over to his mother, digging his fists into her skirt in the timeless 'pick me up' gesture. "He is hungry," she said, taking the boy in her arms.

Daniel looked at his watch. "I've got to grab a few things and take them home with me to translate," he said, referring to his arrangement with the general. The man had allowed Daniel to take some items to his house and work there, permitting him to get work done while still helping Shau'ri make the transition to living on Earth. "Can I take you guys to the commissary? You can get Robbie some lunch and I'll gather my things and meet you there."

Shau'ri's face fell a bit, clearly not fond of the idea. Although she was slowly adapting to life among the Tau'ri, she clearly was not comfortable in the military atmosphere of the SGC. "They do not have much that he likes," she said.

"They've got cereal and fruit," Daniel said. "All he needs is a snack. Hon, I can't have him running around my lab. He broke something last time."

Shau'ri nodded. "We will go get him something to eat." He led her out of the room and to the elevators, quickly making their way to the commissary. He got them settled, and complying with the general's orders, informed one of the SF's at the door that he was leaving her alone, then hurried towards his lab, hoping that he could gather all he needed and make arrangements to get it home before Hrabe got done eating.

A bit of him felt guilty at leaving Shau'ri alone, but he knew he had to. Even though she wasn't comfortable at the SGC, she needed to learn to be comfortable. She'd been having a hard time lately, more than once experiencing some of Amaunet's memories.

After the second week of sleepless nights, he'd finally broken down and talked to Sam, or more accurately, Jolinar through his teammate. The centuries old creature hadn't had much information to offer since cases of hosts surviving symbiotes was rare, even among the Tok'ra. The only theory she could offer was that as Amaunet died, she left some of her memories in Shau'ri's mind, much like an after image burned on a retina. The memories may fade, or they may always be a part of his wife.

He attributed her dislike of the SGC and especially Sam to those memories. Amaunet saw the Tau'ri as her enemies, and Sam especially more so due to Jolinar. He hoped that by exposing her to those things, she'd eventually overcome Amaunet's memories. Maybe then, it would no longer be necessary for her to be escorted at all times when she was in the SGC. Fortunately, the SF's were such a part of the scenery, he didn't think she even noticed that when she wasn't with him, she was always followed.

Taking a quick glance at his watch, he unlocked his office. He'd have to hurry. He figured he had about twenty minutes before Robbie was bored to tears and creating a scene.

<><><><><>

Shau'ri tried for the third time to soothe her child, his fussiness reaching unmanageable levels. It hadn't taken him long to eat his banana and a cookie, washing it down with some milk.

She reached for the bag they used for Hrabe's spare diapers and toys, frowning when she couldn't find it. She closed her eyes in frustration. It had to be in the infirmary. She remembered setting it down on the floor. She got to her feet and looked towards the door, sighing when she didn't see Daniel. Hrabe threw his milk carton down, a few drops scattering across the table. Suddenly angry, Shau'ri got to her feet, quickly gathering up her son. She would just go and get his bag, along with his toys, then meet Daniel in his office.

She hurried through the door, stopping short when a guard stood in front of her. "Can I help you?" he offered.

"No. I do not need any help," she said, clutching Hrabe close. The man didn't move, standing directly in her path. "I just wish to retrieve my bag from the infirmary," she finally said in an effort to get him to stand aside.

"This place can be confusing. Why don't I take you there," he offered, his tone pleasant but firm.

"I know how to get there," she insisted.

"I know ma'am but…I have orders." He stepped aside, indicating for her to go first. Feeling more than a little embarrassed, she gave in, letting the man escort her to the infirmary. She kept her eyes down, feeling the curious gazes of the people they passed, staring at her as if they expected her to do something horrible.

Her cheeks burning she walked into the infirmary, grateful to see her bag sitting on the middle of one of the beds. She snagged it up, shifting Hrabe on her hip and reaching in for one of his toys.

She handed it to him and was walking back towards the hall and the waiting guard when a quiet conversation reached her ears.

"Sam, I don't even know what I'm looking for," she heard Doctor Fraiser complain.

"Neither do we. I think it's sorta like porn, I'll know it when I see it," Captain Carter said.

"And if he is what you think he is?"

There was a pause and a woman sighed. "I don't know."

"It's not fair to persecute him for what he MIGHT do," the doctor said.

"Janet, I know but…what if he IS Harcesis?"

"There you are." Shau'ri looked up, gasping a bit as she saw Daniel walk into the room. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes," she glanced guiltily towards the partially opened door, wondering if they realized that they'd been overheard. "I…Hrabe wanted his toy," she said, holding up the bag as proof.

"I know. I'm sorry I forgot," he apologized, stepping forward to take it from her. "Janet called me and I was going to come get it, but then it took longer than I expected to transfer the files I was going to work on and…I'm sorry," he said, smiling at her. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Silently she nodded, casting one last pensive glance at the door as she followed him into the hall.

<><><><><>

"Do you realize what you ask of me?" Amaunet asked, looking up at her husband as he walked across their chambers, two goblets and a pitcher of wine clasped loosely in his hands.

"I ask for little," he said, holding out the goblets. She took them, freeing his hand so he could maneuver his robes to join her on the large bed.

"You ask for me, for my host, to conceive a child with you," she said, holding out the goblets so he could fill them with drink.

"It would only be a temporary condition, a few months. A mere blink of an eye," he said, setting down the pitcher. "I have been told that many women cherish their pregnancies, thriving upon the feelings of a new life growing within them."

"My host has no issue with the conception or pregnancy, although, in truth, you are not the man she would choose to be the father of her child," Amaunet said.

"Since when do the feelings of the host matter?" Apophis asked arrogantly.

"My love. For this pregnancy to succeed, I must withdraw, returning control to the host. The child will be conceived with her, carried by her. It will not be my child, it will be hers…and yours," she said, trying to hide the betrayal she felt. She loved her husband and could not understand the allure of creating a human child.

She knew the act was forbidden, that the greatest sin a goa'uld could commit was the creation of a Harcesis. That did not frighten her. Her God was powerful enough to protect her. What concerned her was leaving her host in control, becoming a voyeur to her husband and the body she inhabited. What if he decided he preferred the host to her? What if he desired more children, condemning her to year after year in exile?

"No," he said, reaching out to cradle her face. "It will be OURS. Your host is merely a vessel. She…serves a purpose. And for that, she is compensated. Ask her? If she were on her home planet, what would her life be like? Ceaseless toil and labor. Privations and suffering. She would be dead in a few years, her health and beauty destroyed. But here, here she can have all she wants." He motioned around the room, pointing out the luxurious surroundings. "Here she will never know hunger or pain. She will be cared for for the rest of her life. She will learn all that you wish to teach her. And for that, all she has to do is give her body to you. It seems a small price to pay."

"And your host?" she asked. "What does your host think? He will have to participate as well."

"My host does what I tell him to," Apophis said smugly.

She shook her head slightly. "How?"

"What is the one thing your host wants, more than anything?"

"To go back to her husband," Amaunet said, not even having to think about it.

"And what if she were to be back with her husband? What is the first thing she would do?" he asked knowingly.

"But how?"

"Do you know what I do on those rare occasions when my host is being obstinate? I let him see what I want him to see." He reached out and stroked her bare arm. "He will do anything to see his wife again, feel her soft skin. If he sees what he wants, he does what I want."

She smiled, her gaze turning inward as she attempted the manipulation of her host's perceptions for the first time. Her vision wavered as she saw through her host's eyes, the dark face of her god melting into the pale face of her host's love. "Do you see?" he asked in a different voice.

"Yes. This will not harm the child?"

"No." He shook his head. "Sibwa, you are so beautiful," he said, the tone of his voice changing as his host took control, lost in his visions.

"Danyel," she said, threading her fingers through his long hair. "It has been so long."
Shau'ri felt his comforting weight settle upon her and closed her eyes, willingly losing herself in Amaunet's deception.

Shau'ri woke up, her heart pounding in her chest. Still lost in her dream, she looked around the room, her eyes seeing not the opulent and decadent furnishings of Apophis' palace, but the more sturdy and homier décor of Daniel's apartment.

Disgusted with how she'd fallen under Amaunet's spell, she slid out of bed, trying not to wake Daniel. She padded downstairs, desperately wishing that Daniel was on a mission and that she was alone in the house. She wanted to bathe, to wash the filth and memories from her body. She was ashamed at how easily she'd been tricked, how she'd been so desperate to make the nightmare end that she'd ignored her common sense, losing herself in the illusion.

That first night, Apophis and Amaunet had confused her. But not every night after that. No. The next several months were all her fault. She'd sought refuge in the fantasy, telling herself night after night that maybe the child she carried was her Danyel's, that he had really come to her, cared for her, loved her.

The lie became easier to believe when Apophis sent her back to Abydos and let her return to her father. The homespun garments that her demon so hated were like silk on her skin, comforting and warm. She lost herself in her chores, ignoring the finite time limit placed upon her by the child. Towards the end, she'd actually been able to convince herself that it was all a horrible dream. That she really was carrying Daniel's child and that he'd return to her.

What if he is Harcesis?

Doctor Fraiser's words echoed in her brain. Harcesis. She knew that term; she knew what it was. A child born of two goa'uld. That was why Heru'ur had wanted Hrabe. Not for the child and not to embarrass Apophis, he wanted all the knowledge legend said the child should have.

"They did horrible things to her," Daniel said, sitting beside her on the bench.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "She looks well." She looked across the yard, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the Tok'ra. She and the sholva were seated at another table, talking quietly between themselves. No, not sholva. Teal'c. His name was Teal'c. And she was Samantha, a Tok'ra by accident not by choice. She'd freed her from Amaunet. She had to remember that. Samantha was not the enemy, she was a friend.

"She didn't when she came back," Daniel said. "Shau'ri, there is a group here on Earth, called the NID. They…they don't like strangers. When they found out about Jolinar, they…took Sam."

"And they hurt her?"

"They did," he said sadly. "This is why I've told you to never go anywhere with anyone you don't know or unless I tell you to."

"Do you think they will come for me? Or for Hrabe?" she asked, alarmed at the possibility of being in danger even in this sanctuary.

"No, no," he reassured, reaching out to take her in his arms. "General Hammond's made it perfectly clear that you're off-limits. Hrabe too. You're in no danger. But it can't hurt to play things safe, now can it?"

Danger. He was in danger. Fear bubbled up in her chest as she hurriedly made her way upstairs and into Hrabe's room. Her son lay sleeping, one chubby fist crammed into his mouth. Her legs weak with relief, she sank down beside his crib, one arm snaking between the bars to rest on his small chest. He was safe, for now. But how much longer?

If this NID was really as powerful as Daniel thought they were, how would they react if they found out Captain Carter's supposition, if they thought that Hrabe was a Harcesis.
They would take him, kidnap him like Heru'ur was planning to do. No. Not her baby. It would not happen to her child.

She gently picked him up, murmuring to shush his protestations, and carried him back into her bedroom. She nestled the boy between her and Daniel. He would keep Hrabe safe, just like he'd done before.

<><><><><>

"I've found something I think you'll be interested in," the voice of his informant said, his tone disgustingly eager. It was amazing what a few thousand dollars could do for a man's loyalty.

"That's what you said last month when O'Neill was spouting an alien language," he said, not bothering to hide his contempt. These humans were beyond pathetic. And they seemed to come in two types. The greedy, self-centered individuals like his informant, and the overly moralistic, ready to die for their principals fools like Hammond and most of his staff.

"This is better than someone speaking an alien language." He fell silent, obviously enjoying drawing matters out.

"What?" he snapped wishing for a second that he wasn't hundreds of miles away and could strangle the little man with his bare hands.

"My fee?"

"Will pay for your funeral if you push me."

His informant sighed. "There's talk about the base, very hush-hush. They think they've found something. Does the term Harcesis mean anything to you?" he hurried to say, sensing his rising ire.

His heart lurched. "Where is it?" he asked, trying to figure out how he'd get access to the gate to get off world.

"It's here, on Earth," the informant said.

"I want every bit of information dropped in the usual place within twenty-four hours," he ordered.

"I don't think…"

"I'll double your fee, triple it if you make it in twelve," he interrupted.

"Aah, trip…ok, sure. I'll get right on it." His informant hung up the phone and he sat back, a satisfied smile creeping across his face.

This was a most opportune situation. He hadn't dared try to return home after failing to capture Jolinar. And now she was off limits to him. But this, this would more than appease his master.

He chuckled, wondering if the humans even knew the value of what they had.

<><><><><>

Daniel walked through the halls of the SGC, fighting the uneasy feeling he'd had all day. For the first time in a long time, he hadn't wanted to leave Shau'ri and Robbie home while he came into work. General Hammond had been most understanding with his desire to work at home, but even that had it's limits, and today's briefing with three teams about their upcoming missions was a perfect example.

He couldn't expect these people to come to his home for the briefing, and Shau'ri didn't like coming onto the base, so he'd had to leave her at home.

"Daniel?" He turned to see Sam walking down the hall and he slowed, allowing her to catch up. "The colonel said you'd be in today," she said.

"Yeah, I've got some briefings," he said.

She nodded, falling into step beside him. "How's Shau'ri getting along?" she asked. "She looked a little...unsure at the picnic. Is everything ok?"

He sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "For a while everything was fine but recently…" He stopped in the hall, turning to face her. "What can you tell me about her memories?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…for a while it looked like she wasn't going to remember much, but…"

"You think she's remembering more," Sam interrupted. "It's possible. Daniel, the relationship between a host and symbiote is complicated. At first, Jolinar and I…we really didn't share much. All she wanted to do was go home and all I wanted to do was get her out of me. We didn't start to talk until later." She looked away, clearly dealing with uncomfortable memories. She looked back. "She still has her secrets. There are events and memories that she hasn't shown me. And there's part of my past that she's never looked into. We, we're almost like ….roommates I guess. We share but also each keep parts of ourselves private." She shrugged. "I don't know how it was with Amaunet and Shau'ri. It's possible that she remembers the last year almost like it's a bad dream. It's also possible that she doesn't remember any of it."

"How do you mean?" he asked.

"The symbiote can block memories in the host. Make it seem like nothing ever happened."

He shook his head. "I don't understand. How?"

"The symbiote has an incredible amount of control over the host. They can manipulate the host's perceptions, augment or dampen their vision and hearing. When we were…there," she paused, taking a breath. "Jolinar would…there was a room, in my mind and I'd go there and shut the door. And then I'd wait."

"Wait?"

"Wait for it to be over. Daniel, I only remember what happened because Jolinar let me remember. Shau'ri may not. It's also possible that Amaunet manipulated her perceptions. She may have confusing and contradictory memories. Have you thought about having her talk to anyone?"

Daniel shook his head. "No."

"It could help, Daniel. A blending is even more intimate than a marriage. Who knows what kind of mental stress Amaunet subjected Shau'ri to. She was a prisoner for over a year. That's bound to have some effect on her," she said.

"Yeah," he said.

"Maybe Janet knows someone," she suggested. "You should go talk to her."

"I think I will," he agreed, noticing that she didn't offer to counsel his wife. That didn't surprise him. Even though Sam had been instrumental in rescuing Shau'ri, the two women were not what he'd ever call friends. Sometimes he wondered if the millennia old disputes between the goa'uld and Tok'ra colored each woman's perceptions.

Amaunet and Jolinar had nothing but bad blood between them, exacerbated he was sure, by the feelings of both hosts. Jack had warned him not to be surprised if he noticed a little jealousy between the two women, more than likely from Shau'ri.

It didn't take an expert to know that his wife was going to have her confidence severely shaken by her experiences, and learning that Daniel had spent the last year in the company of an attractive woman like Sam, no matter how platonic it had been, was going to be hard on his wife.

"I gotta go," he said, glancing at his watch. "I'm briefing SG-8 in fifteen minutes."

"No problem. I'll catch up with you later." She turned, he guessed heading towards her lab. Making a note to talk to Janet before he went back home, he picked up the pace, knowing that he'd be late for the briefing if he tarried too much longer.

<><><><><>

Shau'ri walked up the residential street, struggling a bit with the dual burdens of a stroller and Sparky's leash. It felt good to be able to get outside and enjoy the warmth of the Colorado sun. This place was not as warm as Abydos, but sometimes she could pretend.

She'd woken up this morning; feeling relieved that she hadn't voiced her fears to Daniel. Strange things had been happening more often lately. She'd been remembering more and more of her time with Amaunet, sometimes just recalling faint images, other times, having memories so vivid she felt like she'd returned to her past.

That is what she blamed her fear on, reliving those last few terrifying minutes in Apophis' palace when Amaunet had found the body of her husband, her god. The horror that she was alone in the universe, easy prey for any other goa'uld to come and capture her, warring with Shau'ri's relief that the man was dead.

That fear had given away to anger as she sought out who had murdered her husband, seeking revenge only to be captured. Those last few minutes were the most confusing to her, the memories and feelings of both host and symbiote meshing and warring with each other.

Several car doors slammed and she looked up. This area was normally very quiet, Shau'ri one of just a few people that didn't work, so traffic was at a minimum. She watched as several men piled out of two vehicles, some staying by the street, others walking up to her house and pounding on the door.

"No one's here, sir," one of the men reported.

"She can't have gone far," the one in charge said, his features masked by sunglasses and a blue hat. "Get me inside and get the vans out of here. We wouldn't want to spook her."

"Remember Shau'ri. Don't go with anyone you don't know."

"The NID, they don't like strangers."

"They hurt her, Shau'ri. They almost killed her."

Hrabe giggled and reached for Sparky's tail. That's what they wanted, they were after her son. Her heart pounding in her chest, she turned, struggling with the stroller and disappeared back around the corner. She had to find somewhere safe; somewhere she could hide until she could find Daniel. He would protect her. She had to find her husband.

<><><><><>

Sam sat in her lab, studying the device setting on the table. 'O'Neill made this?' Jolinar asked.

'Yeah. He drew the most detailed schematics for the DHD that I've ever seen too. Saved Teal'c and Major Castleman.'

'It looks oddly familiar,' the symbiote said. 'But I can't place it.'

Sam shook her head. 'Neither can I. And I haven't been able to get it to work again either. Which makes no sense at all.' She studied the small device, tracing her fingers over each connection. The power source was still there, everything was exactly like how the colonel had made it, but it refused to work.

'Colonel O'Neill remembers nothing of where he went?' Jolinar asked, trying to remember any alien races that were advanced enough to fix the man's brain, yet reclusive enough not to want anyone to know whom they were.

'Nothing. At least, nothing that he'll tell any of us.'

'Maybe…' The klaxons went off, breaking up the conversation. 'There is no one due back,' Jolinar said.

'Yeah,' Sam agreed. She got to her feet, her curiosity driving her forward. 'Maybe it's dad?' she suggested as they got onto the elevator.

'It is possible,' Jolinar said. 'However I was under the impression that Selmac had missions to carry out.'

'I guess we'll find out,' Sam said as they walked into the control room. "Sir," she acknowledged, seeing that the rest of her team had beaten her there.

"Aah there you are. Some friends of yours dropped by for a visit," Jack said, jerking his thumb towards the gateroom. "Anyone you know?"

She looked through the glass. "Oh my god," she muttered. "Garshaw."

"Who?" Daniel asked.

"The woman's Garshaw, she's the leader of the Tok'ra."

"You speak of Garshaw of Beloit?" Teal'c asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. The man is Cordesh. He's a member of the council. I wonder what they're doing here?"

"Umm…They told Hammond they're here to take you back," Jack said.

"What?" Sam blurted out. "No. They can't. Colonel?"

"I don't know," Jack shrugged.

'Jolinar?' Sam asked. 'What's going on? They can't do that can they? They can't make us go back.' The symbiote remained silent. 'Jolinar,' Sam pressed.

'They can,' she said softly. 'They can.'

<><><><><>

"The council agreed to respect my host's wishes and allow us to remain on
Earth," Jolinar said, fighting to keep her host's voice even.

"That was before," Garshaw said. "Jolinar, in the past few months the Tok'ra have suffered grievous losses." "

"Many of our bases have been attacked and several of our agents compromised," Cordesh spoke up, his eyes darting around the room as if he was trying to commit every detail to memory.

SG-1, Hammond and the two Tok'ra were seated around the briefing room table, the tension between the two parties almost a physical force.

"I don't see what that has to do with Carter going back with you," Jack said. "Let's be realistic, we're talking a war here. One person, more or less, is not going to make a difference."

"This is not simply a matter of the number of personnel," Garshaw said. "Our population has always been small." She looked around the room, finally staring Sam in the eyes. "What we require is access to intelligence that Jolinar has."

"Of what do you speak?" Teal'c asked.

'Oh no,' Jolinar moaned.

'What?' Sam asked.

'Not there, please gods not there.'

'Jols? What?' Sam could feel the symbiote's fear and terror building, her dread settling like a stone in the pit of Sam's stomach. A nauseous feeling crept over her and she swallowed, struggling to keep control. 'Please, what's she talking about?'

'About a year ago we successfully infiltrated Sokar's ranks, gathering a lot of intelligence about him and the locations of his spies. We were captured and….' She broke off abruptly, mentally slamming down a door, locking those memories away. 'I will not go back there. I refused before and I refuse now. Nothing I know is any good any longer anyway. It's…I won't go,' she stated.

'Ok,' Sam soothed. 'You won't go, WE won't go. I promise you, we'll stay here.'

'You cannot promise that. Your people want and need the Tok'ra alliance. If Garshaw presses it…'

'General Hammond will not betray us. Both he and Jack promised to protect us, and they will,' Sam said.

"Jolinar spent many months in the company of Sokar," Garshaw continued. "She was instrumental in orchestrating an altercation between him and Cronos, the resulting battle resulted in Cronos losing a large portion of his forces."

"And in Jolinar and Rosha nearly dying in Sokar's prison," Sam said, throwing out the one fragment of memory she'd gathered before Jolinar blocked her out. "Not to mention that Cronos set the Ashrak after them in revenge, an assassin that's still out there, by the way."

"That is a risk all operatives take," Cordesh said.

"Spoken by the man that hasn't left the compound in years," Jolinar spat.

"So," Jack interrupted. "You're telling us that all of a sudden you've decided that you need some of Jolinar's memories and that Carter needs to go back with you, to live with you, so you can have access 24/7 to intelligence that is over a year old and more than likely worthless. It doesn't add up."

"Unless it's just an excuse," Daniel said.

"Doctor Jackson?" Hammond asked.

"Well, think about it, sir. Even I know that intelligence that old isn't reliable. There has to be another reason."

"You said that you have suffered repeated attacks in recent months?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes," Garshaw confirmed.

"Then is it not possible that you desire Captain Carter and Jolinar to return to you not to gather intelligence, but rather to eliminate a potential security breach?"

"You think I've been betraying you to the goa'uld?" Sam asked. Garshaw and Cordesh shared a look confirming their guilt.

"Captain Carter has not been in a position to reveal any information to any parties, especially the goa'uld," Teal'c said.

"I've only been off world three times since I blended with Jolinar," Sam said. "And two of those planets were uninhabited."

"Is this true?" Garshaw asked.

"She's not your spy," Jack said.

"Excuse me, sir."

"We're in the middle of a briefing, sergeant," Hammond said as they all turned to see Sergeant Davis standing at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, sir, I know. And I apologize. You left standing orders that Doctor Jackson was to be notified immediately if anyone contacted him about his wife."

"Shau'ri? What's wrong?" Daniel got go his feet.

"I don't know, sir. One of your neighbors called. She saw your wife leave for her morning walk. While she was gone, she saw some men come by. They tried to get into the house…"

"What?"

"She said that they set up what she described as an ambush. She called the police but the men got rid of them somehow."

"Where's Shau'ri?" Daniel asked, grabbing the slip of paper out of Davis' hand.

"She said she never saw her come back from her walk, sir."

"General," Daniel pleaded. "We have to go find her."

"Did this woman describe the men?" Jack asked.

"She didn't give a lot of detail in her note, sir. Just described them as men in blue suits."

"Sounds like the NID to me," Jack said.

"Shau'ri? Are you talking about Amaunet? The mate of Apophis?" Garshaw asked.

"You say you are our ally but you harbor a goa'uld," Cordesh said, his eyes flaring.

"Amaunet is deceased," Teal'c said. "Only her host survives."

"The NID's supposed to leave Shau'ri alone," Daniel said.

'They know,' Jolinar said.

'What?'

'They know about Hrabe.'

'How? No one outside of this room knows?'

'Incorrect. Doctor Fraiser knows and it is not unreasonable for word to have spread among her staff.'

"Captain Carter?" Hammond asked, pulling her from her internal conversation.

Sam shook her head. "Sir, the NID's supposed to leave Shau'ri alone, but no one ever said anything about Robbie." She cast a glance at the two Tok'ra, cursing the timing of the Sargent's interruption. They'd done their best not to tell the Tok'ra about Shau'ri's presence, fearing that the Tok'ra would want to interrogate the woman, search her memories for any information about Apophis.

'For better or worse, the cat is out of the bag,' Jolinar said.

"What would they want with a baby?" Daniel asked.

"Who is Robbie?" Garshaw asked.

"Hrabe is Shau'ri's child," Teal'c answered.

"This child was conceived while Amaunet still possessed the host?" Garshaw asked.

"Yeah, so?" Daniel asked, slightly defensive about a slur against his wife.

"And you did not think that this was important for us to know?" Garshaw asked Sam.

Sam shook her head. "It's just a legend. I couldn't risk a child's life on a barely remembered story."

"What story?" Daniel asked. The other members of SG-1 shared a glance, silently admitting their conspiracy. "What they hell is going on?" Daniel demanded.

Sam spoke up. "Among the Tok'ra there is a legend, that if two blended humans have a child, a human child, that that child will possess all the knowledge of the two goa'uld that bore it. We believe that Hrabe is one of these children."

Daniel shook his head. "I don't get it. What's the big deal?"

"Hrabe will possess all the knowledge of Apophis and Amaunet and that of all the hosts of every goa'uld in that lineage."

"So, he's smart."

"He also possesses a Goa'uld's desire for conquest and power," Jolinar said.

"In the wrong hands, such a child could be a most formidable weapon," Teal'c said.

"If you knew this, why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?" he demanded.

"I…"

"We didn't want to make things harder," Jack interrupted Sam. "If you suspected that something was wrong with Robbie, you would have treated him differently."

"You don't know that."

"There is also the possibility that Shau'ri may have knowledge about Hrabe being a Harcesis," Jolinar said. "If we told you, then you would be in the position of lying to her."

"How long were you going to keep it a secret?" he demanded.

"We were going to inform you as soon as we knew something definitive," Hammond said.

"The blood tests," Daniel said.

"Yeah," Jack confirmed.

"Would this time not be better spent in ascertaining the location of Shau'ri and Hrabe," Teal'c spoke up, interrupting their conversation.

"Excellent point, Teal'c," Hammond agreed. "Doctor Jackson, does Shau'ri have any friends, anywhere she'd go if she was scared."

Daniel shook his head. "No, General. All she really knows is home and the SGC."

'She'd seek refuge here,' Jolinar said.

'Why? She barely tolerates us.'

'Daniel is here. Daniel she trusts,' Jolinar said simply.

"She'll come to you, Daniel," Sam said out loud.

"She's on foot, with a baby," Jack said, accepting the theory.

"And Sparky," Daniel said. "She takes the dog on their walks too," he explained.

"OK," Jack said. "Your place is about eight miles away."

"She would more than likely travel a straight line," Teal'c said. "That is the most expedient path."

"So we go to Daniel's house and make our way here," Sam said.

"No." Jack shook his head. "If we can figure it out, so can the NID. We need to get ahead of her and intercept her. Get them here where they're safe and figure out the rest later."

"I can send out teams…" Hammond offered.

"No, sir," Daniel said. "I've told her never to trust anyone but a member of my team. If she sees other soldiers, she'll run."

"We'll split up," Jack said. "Carter, you and Teal'c make your way from the SGC to Daniel's house, Daniel and I will work the other way," Jack ordered, getting to his feet. "General?" he asked, belatedly getting the man's permission.

"Go," Hammond ordered. "We'll wait here for you."

<><><><><>

Shau'ri stood on the street corner, frowning at the small sign. Bus stop. Daniel had told her about this, a form of public transportation, soon after she'd come to Earth. He said they traveled all over the city. They could take her to Daniel.

The large lumbering vehicle stopped and opened its doors. She pushed the stroller forward, struggling a bit with its bulk.

"Whoa, lady. You can't bring that on here," the driver said.

"What? I need this for my child," she said.

"Stroller's not a problem, but I can't allow the dog," he said. "Not unless it's a service animal."

She looked down at Sparky, standing calmly beside her, his pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. "He is tame. He will not harm anyone."

"I'm sorry. It's the rules. My bosses find out, I'll get fired," he said apologetically.

Unwilling to fight him and equally unwilling to abandon the dog, she pulled back, allowing the bus to continue upon its way. She scanned her surroundings, her eyes catching the familiar shape of Cheyenne Mountain, the large number of antennas and towers setting it apart from all other mountains around her. It was not that far away. They could make it there.

"Come, Sparky," she said, tightening her grip on the dog's leash. "Let us go find Daniel."

<><><><><>

Sam slowly drove down the street, her attention divided between navigating the car and looking for Shau'ri. They were driving through a residential neighborhood, the streets and lawns just starting to fill up as children got out of school and made their way home.
Daniel said Shau'ri always went for her walk around noon, which meant that she'd been missing for about three hours.

"You did not inform the Tok'ra of Shau'ri's presence on Earth," Teal'c said, more a statement than a question.

"No," Sam replied, barely sparing him a glance. "Teal'c," she continued on when he remained silent. "They'd want to use her, just like the NID does."

"With the death of Apophis, it is doubtful that her information would be of much use."

"I know that. And you know that. I mean, the most useful thing we might get from her would be the location of a few strongholds or outposts. None of which are any good to us, or anyone else unless they were wanting to conquer those places for themselves."

They fell silent for a few more minutes, both of them closely studying the pedestrians they saw. More than once, Sam's heart lurched when she caught sight of a stroller, only to realize that it wasn't her quarry.

"Once we recover Shau'ri, will you be returning to the Tok'ra?" he asked quietly.

Sam paused for a moment then shook her head. "No. I'm staying here. WE'RE staying here."

"Several months ago, Jolinar wanted nothing more than to return to her people," he reminded.

"Several months ago, Jolinar thought she had people to go back to," Sam said.

"Are not two members of the Tok'ra waiting our return at the SGC?"

"I will not go back with them," Jolinar stated, smoothly making the transition from host to symbiote. "Teal'c, for years there has been a feeling among several members of the Tok'ra, that our rebellion is dying, losing its focus. Betrayal, an act that was once rare, has become almost commonplace. The Tau'ri have accomplished more in the last couple of years than the Tok'ra have in millennia."

"If the Tok'ra withdraw their alliance, will you not lose your status as Ambassador?"

"They won't do that," Jolinar said. "They need us, more than they'll ever admit."

"Thus far, the Tok'ra have been most derisive of Tau'ri technology."

"They don't want our tech, Teal'c," Sam said. "They want us."

"Hosts."

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Teal'c, usually the only hosts the Tok'ra have access to are the dying or the sick of various subjugated and primitive races. The symbiote spends half its time educating the host, bringing it up to speed. With a Tau'ri host, they don't have to do that. They've already got more knowledge than some Tok'ra do. Plus a better spirit."

"A spirit?"

"All too often, the Tok'ra are fighting the Goa'uld in hosts that were raised to worship those Goa'uld as gods. There's a lot of conflicting emotions. Not only does the Tok'ra ask for use of the host's body, they undermine their most basic beliefs as well. In extreme cases, the Tok'ra is unable to continue the fight because the inner conflict is too great. With Tau'ri, they don't have that."

"And the Tok'ra council knows this?"

"After three months with my dad, they know," she said with a small smile. "Let's try up Chinhook street," she said, turning the wheel. "It's quieter."

<><><><><>

Colonel Harry Maybourne sat in the back seat of his car, plotting his men's reported positions on a map as they called in. He cursed the fact that they'd missed the woman at her home, it would have been so much easier.

"We still have no sign of her, sir," Captain Marcos reported.

"It's a female, a baby and a dog," Harry spat. "What's so damned difficult about that?" he demanded.

"You said we needed to be discrete, sir," the man said. "If we could cordon off the area, it'd go much faster."

"Maybe I should call the local police and have them do your jobs for you," Harry said, snapping off the radio with and angry twist. This wasn't working; it was taking too long. And he knew, the longer it took, the greater the chances that Hammond would get wind of it and find a way to get her to the relative safety of the SGC.

He couldn't let that happen. If his suspicions were right, that bitch Tok'ra already suspected what the child was, and he couldn't let her get her hands on him. If he couldn't have him, no one would.

<><><><><>

Hrabe fussed and Shau'ri sighed. She pushed the stroller near a bench, gratefully sinking down. She picked the boy up, bouncing him on her knee in an effort to sooth him. He was hungry. She was hungry. It was now evening and she doubted that they'd be able to make it to Cheyenne Mountain before it got dark. Daniel would have arrived home by now and would have found her gone. What was he thinking? She hoped he didn't think she'd deserted him. She wished she'd had time to contact him. She'd passed several telephones on her walk, but lacking any money, she hadn't been able to make a call.

"Ssh, ssh," she whispered, rocking him a bit. She tried to think if he had anything in the stroller for him to eat. Sparky sat at her feet, panting openly. He was thirsty too she knew.
She heard some children playing and looked across the street. There was a small park there, a few picnic tables and some playground equipment. And most importantly, a water fountain.

Too tired to wrestle the stroller across the street, she stood up, hitching Hrabe up on her hip. "Stay," she ordered the dog. "I will be right back."

She grabbed a small cup, planning to use it for her and Hrabe, then allow Sparky to get a drink from it and started across the street. She took a deep draught for herself, then carefully held the cup for her son, knowing that the water would soothe him in two ways, quenching his thirst and also fooling his stomach for a little while into thinking he'd eaten.

She heard barking and turned, ready to shush the dog. Her heart lurched when she saw two men in blue suits standing by the stroller, both looking around intently. Suddenly panicking, she turned her back, dropping the cup as she hurried across the park, seeking some sort of refuge in the low bushes.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of the mountain; it's flashing beacons and the safety they promised so close, yet so very far away.

<><><><><>

Sam pulled the car over to the curb, squinting to see through the fading light. "Captain Carter?"

Sam shook her head. "I'm not sure. Something…" She turned off the ignition, getting out of the car. They were parked on the edge of a small park. There were very few people around, most of the children apparently home eating their dinner.

'Jols?' She felt the symbiote take control, pushing her senses to the limit. Almost in a trance, she felt herself walk forward. There was something there…something familiar.
She barely perceived Teal'c walking at her side, his vigilance compensating for her lack of attention.

"Captain Carter?" he asked softly, wanting to know, but not to disturb.

"A symbiote," Jolinar whispered. "I sense the presence of another. Shau'ri?" she called. A faint sound reached her ears and her eyes flew open.

"There," Teal'c said, confirming her perception.

They both hurried forward, Sam following the faint tingle washing down her spine. A bush rustled and a figure dashed out, running away from them. "Shau'ri! It's us. It's ok!" Sam called, trying to calm the clearly terrified woman.

"Look out!" Jolinar warned as a heavy weight slammed into her side. She fell, her mind belatedly registering the gunshot. Teal'c landed on top of her, his large bulk forcing the air from her lungs. She struggled to free herself, Shau'ri's screams mixed with Hrabe's terrified cries.

'He's been shot,' Jolinar diagnosed.

'Who?'

'I don't know. I…'

"It must be my lucky day," a familiar voice drawled as a figure stood over them, one hand holding a pistol, the other a screaming child. "All my quarry in one place at the same time."

"Maybourne?" Sam gasped, struggling to push an unconscious, or maybe even dead, Teal'c off her so she could move.

'He's a goa'uld,' Jolinar said.

'What? How the hell did he get snaked? He's never been off-world?'

'I don't…'

"My lord will reward me greatly," he said, moving closer.

"NO! GIVE ME MY SON!" Shau'ri screamed, throwing herself at him. Without even pausing, he fired and she fell back, landing in a crumpled heap in the grass.

"So many targets, so little time." He moved forward, squatting down close to her, but not close enough for her to reach. "The reward is much less for your death than to return you alive, however I believe he will make up for it." He gestured towards a screaming Hrabe with the pistol. "Kree shak, Jolinar. By decree of the Goa'uld System Lords, you will die with dishonor." He held up the pistol. "This is not as much fun as the hara'kash, but it will serve."

Sam's eyes grew wide as they focussed on the barrel of the pistol, his fingers tightening on the trigger. 'I'm sorry,' Jolinar said. 'So sorry…'

There was a flash of white light, and then she knew no more.

<><><><><>

"What's that?" Daniel asked, pointing through the windshield at a large number of flashing lights.

"Don't know," Jack said, pulling over to the curb. They got out of the car, melting in with the gathering crowd. There were several police cars and ambulances parked around a small park. Held back by a length of yellow police tape, Jack squinted, trying to see what was going on.

"Horrible, just horrible," a woman standing next to him said.

"What happened?"

"And this was such a good neighborhood too," she commented.

"It was a shooting," a young man said.

"Is everyone ok?" Jack asked, his heart lurching a bit. Something told him that this wasn't a coincidence.

"That's the problem. We heard the shots, but there's no one there."

"What?" Jack turned to face the man. "They got away?"

"I don't know how. From what I've heard, there's too much blood. No one walked away from that."

"Jack!" Jack turned, following Daniel's voice. His friend was on the other side of the street, standing by a small bench. "They were here," he said as Jack drew near, his eyes alight with hope. He pointed to the stroller, his hand absently stroking Sparky's head. "They can't be too far away. Robbie's too heavy for her to carry too far." Jack looked at the park, suddenly knowing that the shooting in the park and his missing friends was connected. "What's going on over there?"

Jack sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Shooting…with no victims," he said.

"What?" He looked down at the stroller, then his eyes darted back across the street. "What if they got them?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know, Daniel."

"Jack, there's four people on Earth that the NID would kill to get, and two of them were here," he reminded needlessly. "Have you heard from Sam and Teal'c lately?"

<><><><><>

Sam slowly opened her eyes, staring at the metallic looking ceiling above her. 'Jols?'

'Yes.'

'Are we dead?'

'I don't know.' Slightly disconcerted to find her symbiote puzzled, Sam pushed herself up, taking stock of the room. The walls were a slightly shiny black metal, plain and featureless. The floor she was lying on was just as plain and slightly cool. 'It's a cell,' Jolinar said.

'Yeah, but where?' She sensed another presence and looked behind her. "Oh my God, Teal'c." She crawled over to his side. Her friend was lying flat on his back on the floor. His hat was askew and she could see the sticky stain of blood on his chest. "Teal'c?" She shook him gently, relieved to find his skin warm. Her fingers fumbled with his shirt, trying to unbutton the heavy material. 'We need to get him help.'

'Samantha…'

'He won't die, I won't let him die,' Sam said, her hands shaking. She screamed out loud when one of his hands rose from his side, stilling her frantic gestures.

His eyes opened and he sat up. He brought his other hand up, exploring the wound. "I was shot," he said.

"Oh God," she muttered, wrapping her hands around his neck and hugging him. He sat there for a second, clearly shocked, then brought up one hand to pat her on her back. "If you ever do that again, I will kill you," she threatened, pulling back.

"I shall endeavor not to die again," he said. "We are not on Earth," he stated, getting to his feet.

'He's right. We're on a ship.'

'Goa'uld? I don't remember rings.'

'Not goa'uld.'

"It's a ship. Jolinar doesn't recognize it," Sam reported, also standing up.

Almost on cue, a door melted out of the wall, opening into the corridor. She shared a glance with Teal'c. "It appears we shall soon discover whose ship this is." She followed him out of the room, both eager to discover whom their host was.

<><><><><>

Thor watched his monitors, noting that all of the humans were now awake. Casting a glance at the unconscious man in the corner of the room, he manipulated the walls, funneling the human and Jaffa towards him. They were the key, he thought, to the puzzle he'd found on Earth. The Jaffa he recognized as Teal'c, ally of the Tau'ri and one that had aided in liberating the Cimmerians from Heru'ur. And he had apparently given his life in a vain attempt to save the blended woman. This led him to be concerned that perhaps Earth was being overrun by the Goa'uld, a fate he could not allow.

The human and the Jaffa entered the room, standing protectively close to each other. "Umm, hello," the woman said.

"Greetings," Thor replied. "Please state your identity and the reason you are on this planet."

She looked quickly at her companion then stepped forward. "My name is Captain Samantha Carter, of Earth."

"And the creature within you?"

She blinked and nodded her head. "I am Jolinar of Malkshur," she replied, the symbiote clearly in control.

"I am not familiar with that name. Which System Lord do you serve?"

"I serve no System Lord. I am a member of the Tok'ra," she replied.

Thor paused, processing this newest bit of information. "I was not aware that the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri were allied."

"It is a recent occurrence," Teal'c said.

"If you are Tok'ra, who is this?" he asked, gesturing towards Maybourne. The human lay where he'd left him, asleep, a precaution Thor had felt necessary since he'd been holding a weapon that had already harmed two people and was in the process of murdering a third when he'd transported them to the Beliskner.

"He's an Ashrak," Jolinar replied. "Sent to kill me."

"If his target was you, why did he harm the woman?"

"Shau'ri? She's here?"

Thor nodded. "Yes."

"He desires possession of her son," Teal'c said.

Thor sighed, some pieces of the puzzle falling into place. "He wishes to control the Harcesis."

The Tok'ra looked surprised. "You know about that?"

"That is why I am here," he informed them. "We acquired knowledge of the child's presence from Colonel O'Neill's mind when we removed the knowledge of the Ancients from his brain."

"He didn't know about Robbie being a Harcesis then," the woman said, her voice different in tone.

"O'Neill was aware of the circumstances of the child's conception and birth," Teal'c reminded.

"Yes," Thor said. "We became aware of the possibility of his existence and journeyed here to investigate the situation."

"So he IS Harcesis?" Carter asked.

Thor refused to confirm her supposition. "If this child is a Harcesis, what do you plan to do with him?" he asked instead.

"We want to fix him," Carter said. "He can't be allowed to keep that knowledge. We'd never be able to control him."

"Then you do not wish to gain access to his secrets?" Thor asked, surprised at her response.

"The risks would far outweigh the benefits," Teal'c said.

"He's too dangerous," the woman said. "We were hoping to confirm that he was Harcesis and see if we could train him to control his impulses."

"And if you could not control him?" Thor asked. "If his thirst for power is too great for him to overcome, what will you do then?"

The woman's eyes flared. "If we could not control him, we would sacrifice him to save the planet," Jolinar said.

Satisfied with her answer, he pressed a control on his chair, transporting the woman and her child into the room.

"Shau'ri."

The woman looked around the room, still unsure and frightened as she'd been ever since she'd woken up. Her eyes settled on the Ashrak, her arms tightening around the child. "Hataka," she muttered, stepping away from him.

"It's ok, Shau'ri. He can't hurt you," Carter reassured her, both she and the Jaffa stepping forward.

"He took my son," she accused.

"I know. I know. But he can't hurt you now," Carter said.

"Are you aware of what your son is?" Thor asked her.

"He is Harcesis," she replied. "I remember my demon calling him such."

"Do you wish for him to remain so?" Thor asked her.

"You can do that?" Carter asked.

"You can remove the evil from him?" Shau'ri asked.

"If that is what you wish," Thor answered.

"Will he be safe then? Safe from men like him?" She gestured towards the man in the corner.

"They won't have a reason to hunt him," Carter answered.

"Will it harm him?" Shau'ri asked Thor.

"No."

"Then do it," she ordered. "Remove the evil my demon left in him."

"Bring him here," Thor said. She complied, carrying Hrabe over to the small alien. He reached down and picked up a small round object from the console, holding it over Hrabe's head. The child muttered, mesmerized by the action and the warm blue light emitted by the stone. The light snapped off and he reached out one chubby arm, seeking to touch it.

"It is done," Thor said, setting down the stone. "The child no longer possesses the knowledge of the goa'uld."

"What about Maybourne?" Teal'c asked. "He is still possessed by the Ashrak."

Carter looked to her companion, apparently torn. Finally she sighed. "Can you remove it?"

"Yes," Thor answered. "However to do so without putting him in another host would result in the death of the symbiote."

"And that's a bad thing?" she muttered. "He was sent by Cronos. What if you returned him, in stasis, to his master?"

"He has failed in his task. Cronos will not be pleased," Thor said.

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

"That's not your fault," Carter said. "All you're doing is returning him home. His failure is between him and his master."

"And the host?" Thor asked.

Carter looked to Teal'c. "I have an idea."

<><><><><>

Jack walked through the park, his flashlight augmenting the faint light from a nearby street lamp. Whatever had happened, it had to have happened here, he thought. They'd found Carter and Teal'c's car parked on the other side of the park. It and the presence of Shau'ri's stroller confirmed that the mysterious gunfight had likely involved them.

Daniel was walking around, leading Sparky, hoping for the dog to give him some clue. The police had left about an hour ago, so baffled by the evidence that they just took their samples, shot a few pictures and departed.

His friend was growing more and more frantic, his concern for his wife and adopted son nearly overwhelming him. "This doesn't make any sense, Jack," he said. "People don't just vanish into thin air."

A brilliant light assaulted his eyes and Jack instinctively ducked, his hand going to the pistol tucked in the small of his back. He blinked furiously, struggling to clear his vision. Sparky barked, running past Jack. "Don't shoot," a familiar voice said.

"Shau'ri!" He heard Daniel shout.

"What the hell?" He aimed his flashlight towards the center of the park, surprised when it revealed the two missing members of his team and the fugitive Abydonian. "Carter? Teal'c?"

"Colonel, it's ok," Carter reassured him. "It's us."

Jack stood up, striding over to the small group. "You guys ok?" he asked, frowning as the flashlight revealed bloodstains on all of their clothes.

"Yeah, we're fine, now," she answered. "It was Maybourne, sir," she said. "He was after Shau'ri and Robbie."

"Where is he?" Daniel asked, his arm wrapped possessively around his wife.

"We had Thor drop him off at Area 51," Sam answered.

"You just let him go?" Jack asked incredulously.

"I would not say that, O'Neill," Teal'c answered, a satisified near grin on his face.

"Aah, Jack," Daniel said. "I think we're about to get some company."

Jack strained his ears, picking out the faint sound of sirens. "Yeah," he answered.

"Colonel?"

"The last little fracas didn't go unnoticed," Jack replied. "You two, get back to the mountain, now. We'll meet you there," he ordered.

Sam nodded and they split up, each hurrying to their cars, eager to avoid more questions that they couldn't answer.

<><><><><>

"How do you think an Ashrak got here?" Jacob asked, sitting beside Sam on the balcony of her apartment. They'd both attended a party at Jack's house, celebrating Hrabe's cure.

After the party had broken up, the two Carters had retreated to Sam's apartment, intent upon spending a little time together before Jacob returned to the Tok'ra.

"He must have been on Nasyia and been brought through the gate with the rest of the refugees," Sam answered. "General Hammond did some digging. One of the SF's was abruptly reassed to Area 51, where he just dropped off the face of the Earth. If the Ashrak got into him, then either went to or was taken to Area 51, then he could have gotten into Maybourne," she said with a small shrug. "Thor scanned the SGC and Area 51 and didn't find any more goa'uld, so that's good news."

'You mean other than Maybourne,' Jolinar reminded.

'Or what's left of Maybourne,' Sam said. 'I wonder if they gave him our old cell?'

'Does your father realize just how vindictive you are?' the symbiote asked curiously.

'Where do you think I got it from,' she replied, taking a sip of her wine. She sighed internally. 'Maybe we should have sent him to the SGC,' she said.

'Remorse? For him?'

'Possession by a goa'uld was a fate I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy,' Sam said, regretting her words when she felt Jolinar wince.

Jacob nodded, taking a sip of his wine. The sun was setting over the mountains, casting a ruddy red glow on the low clouds. The air was starting to cool, but felt good against their skin as the stone and brick of her balcony radiated the day's heat back at them. "Garshaw told me that you're staying here," he said, broaching the topic with his normal grace and tact. She'd been waiting for this ever since they'd returned to the SGC to discover that Garshaw and Cordesh had returned to the Tok'ra, Jacob arriving in their stead.

'Selmac needs to work on him,' Jolinar said.

'She already has, trust me, this is mellow,' Sam said. "No, I'm not going back," she said aloud.

"They can use you, you know," he said. "They've been getting their asses kicked."

"I know," she said.

"Is this your decision, or Jolinar's?"

"Both," she said honestly. "Dad, this is my home now. These are my friends. I can't leave them."

He nodded, accepting her words. "And Jolinar?"

"She doesn't want to go back. She has nothing to go back to."

"What about fighting the goa'uld?"

"She can fight the goa'uld from here. WE can fight the goa'uld from here," she said.

"And later?" he asked. "You know, you're probably going to watch them die, if not in the war, then from simple old age. Even Teal'c won't live more than forty years or so," Jacob said.

"So will you," she shot back at him. "Unless the Stargate Program gets declassified, eventually both of us will have to 'die' here on Earth. Maybe then Jolinar will feel like returning."

He nodded, getting to his feet and walking to the railing, his eyes fixed on the fading daylight. "I'm glad," he finally said.

"What?" she asked, getting up to join him.

'This is a surprise,' Jolinar said.

'Tell me about it.'

"I said I'm glad," he repeated.

She shook her head, frowning. "Whoa, who are you and what have you done with my dad?" she asked. He raised his eyebrows in question. "Where's the guilt trip? The 'trust me, I know what I'm talking about' lecture?"

"Ask Selmac," he replied. "Don't get me wrong, kid. I'd love to have you where I can keep an eye on you, but you're safer here."

"What do you mean?"

"The Tok'ra have changed since you left them. They're being torn apart from within, suspicion and distrust eating away at bonds forged millennia ago. We've got at least one traitor among us, probably more. The energy we used to put into destroying the Goa'uld is now being spent trying find out who the traitors are, or hell, for simple survival." He turned, setting down his wine glass and laying his hands on her shoulders. "I'm glad you're staying here, with your friends. O'Neill seems to be a good CO."

"He is dad," she said. "They're good friends."

He nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Then you stay with them. I'll smooth it over with the Council."

She settled into his arms, losing herself in his quiet strength, grateful beyond words to Selmac for saving his life. Things had changed so much in the past few months. Her dad was alive, his eyes alight with a new purpose, replacing the resignation and sadness she was used to seeing.

Daniel had Shau'ri back, the haunted look in his eyes replaced by joy and amazement as they worked together to raise Hrabe. The Tok'ra and Tau'ri were allies and she thought that the colonel's association with the Asgard could only result in good. She and Teal'c were safe from the NID and Maybourne, if the man was still alive. And for the first time in over a year, the battle with the goa'uld no longer seemed to be an insurmountable, impossible situation, but tinged with hope. Hope that they would win and hope that they would all survive to celebrate that victory.

~Fin~

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